Violin-bow guide



S. L. YATES.

VIOLIN BOW GUIDE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.28| I920.

1,384,292. Patented July 12, 1921.

INVENTOR. JpencerL. Yates TTORNEY part of this application.

SPENCER L. YATES, OF OAKLAND,GALIFORNIA.

FFICE."

VIOLIN -BOW GUIDE.

Application filed August 28, 1920. Serial No.

Be it known that I, SPENCER L. Yarns, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Oakland, in of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Violin-Bow Guides; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

panying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, whlch form a h1s invention relates to an attachment intended to be removably fastened onto a violin and by means of whichthe bow in the hands of a beginner just learning to play the instrument will be positively held 1n correcttransverse alinement relative to full length of the that the bow thestrings.

I have found from. experience and observation that beginners have a habit of sweep- A ing'the bow across the strings while giving the same a curve in a horizontal plane, centered approximately at the shoulder.

The correct movement however is one which will allow the bow to travel substantially at right angles to the stringsfor the stroke, and hence to force the beglnner to acquire this movement while learning to play, is the principal object of my invention. f

Another object is to provide adjustments for the guide member so that the correct angular position of the bow relative to the various strings, may be maintained insuring shall travel in the correct di- 7 rection' in a transverse plane.

A third object is to providea device whim maybe fitted to any style or size of violin wlthout any alterations being made.-

The guide is also soarranged that the wrist of the player will perforce assume the correct position relative to the bow-another feature which is in the art.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which.. it .is de s gned. 7 j

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of I parts as will thecounty of Alameda, State,

and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accomused with the modified form to receive therein a cylinder one of such of considerable importance versely of the violinand therebeyond a neca perusal of claims.

fully appear by the following specification "and In the drawings similar reference indicate corresponding parts in the several viewsigure 1 is a perspective outline of a violin showmg my attachment mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, partly in section.

ig- 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the adjustable guide holder.

Fig. 4. is a cross section of the frame showing the swivel support of the guide holder. 7 Fig. 5is adetached view of the rod-holder shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the violin, which of course has strings. 2 supported by the usual curved bridge 3. 1

My attachment consists of a metal support or framed arranged at one end to straddle the thickness of the violin at a predetermined point, and provided with an adjustableclamping pad -5'atfthat end so asto removably secure the frame to the body, the pad and the inner surface of the frame adjacent the clamp being covered with felt 6 or some similar soft material.

The frame is shaped to terminate directly over the bridge 3, and has atthat point a pair of transversely spaced lugs 7 upstanding thereon, which form a, bearing for a pin 8, which serves as the hinge-pin of acylindrical sleeve clamp 9 adapted to be opened 10 to which is fixed a rectangular frame work 11 surrounding the clamp. Stub pins 12 project from the ends ofthis frame 11 parallel to the bridge 3, that is transversely of the'violin, pins being adapted to receive thereon an eye 13, from which projects a fork 14- which is in a plane forward of the frame 4 and to one side of the strings 2, being parallel to the bridge. On the op-- posite one of the pins 12 is removably fitted a lightmetal rod 15 which extends transessary and suitable distance.

The lugs 7 have sides of the framework 11 which slope, in

opposite directions from the center toward Patented July 12, 1921.

characters of 5 portions 16 under the i the frame 4 at the outer ends, so as to form limiting stops for the sides of the framework 11, so that the latter, and hence the rod 18, may only be angled a certain distance to one side or the other of the center.

To prevent movement of the clamp 9 about it's hinge pin as an axis, the under sides of the frame 11, central or adjacent the cylinder 10 and radially positioned. relative thereto are small knobs or lugs 17, which seat in the members 16 with sufficient play to allow of the necessary swivel movement of said frame.

In the modified form of the device shown in Fig. 3, the lugs 7 support separated pins 8, on each of which is a clamp 9, between which is a sleeve 18 extending transversely of the violin and having transverse pins 18 adapted to be mounted in the clamps 9. he sleeve 18 is arranged .to receive therethrough a rod 19 similar to the rod 15, having the fork member 1a fixed to one end and projecting beyond the violin at the other end.

To limit the movement of the rod about the clamps 9 as an axis, the surface of the frame 4 under the rod is provided with tapered blocks 20 against either of which at a time the rod bears when angled to a certain extent.

In this manner, as with the first described form of the device, the guide-rods may be tilted so as to bring the same to the correct playing position for any of the strings of the violin.

To prevent movement of the clamps 9 about its hinge pin as an axis, relatively small pins 21 project from the ends of the pins 18 and centrally thereof, and seat in grooves 22 formed in the lugs 7 The lugs 7 and 7 on the side of the device toward holders as shown at 23, so as to form a guide for the how when the fork 142 is not being used.

The device is used as follows:

The regular violin bow 2a is grasped in the correct manner by the user-th at is with the tips of the fingers an d thumb rather than. by the hand as a whole-, and the end of the bow opposite the handle is inserted in the fork 14;. At the same time the rod '15 is allowed to pass through the orifice in the h and formed between the thumb and fingers. T his rod remains thus for the entire time the'instrument is being played on or practised with, so that the rod positively guides the hand. while at the same time the bow is held in correct alinement by reason of the guide fork.

Then it is desired to play different notes, pressure is exerted on the rod 15 sufficient to cause the sleeve 10 to slip in its clamp to reposition the rod to suit the string about to'be played.

the bow are raised above the mounted in the clamp,

It will also be found that by reason of the hand-engaging red, the wrist is forced to assume approximately the correct position in order that the bow may be drawn across the strings without the rod binding in the hand.

Of course it is to be understood that while this device is principally to be used by beginners to give them the correct arm movement, and is not intended to be used by anyone endeavoring to play a tune or even a rapid sequence of notes, at the same time nearly every player will be benefited by practising with the device ever so often.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that l have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail, the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to and do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A violin bow-guide comprising a sup port adapted to be secured to the violin body and projecting over the bridge thereof, and a rod mounted on the support and extending transversely of the violin and beyond one side thereof, said rod being passed through the hand of the user of the violin bow, and a guide fork positioned at right angles to the belly of the violin fixed to the end of the rod adjacent the bridge and projecting into the plane of the violin-bow, the latter passing therethrough.

2. A violin bow-guide comprising a sup port adapted to be secured to the violin body and projecting over the. bridge thereof, a rod mounted on the support and extending transversely of the violin and beyond one side thereof, means whereby the rod may be moved about the support in a transverse plane at right angles to the violin-body, and means for limiting the range of movement of the rod. i

3. A. violin bow-guide comprising a support adapted to be secured to the violin body and projecting over the bridge thereof, a cylindrical sleeve clamp mounted on the support and extending lengthwise of the violin, a. cylinder turnably and adjustably and a guide rod fixed to the cylinder and projecting transversely of the violin and beyond one side thereof.

4. A violin bow-guide comprising a su port adapted to be secured to the violin boc y and projecting-over the bridge thereof, and a guide rod swivelly mounted to the support on an axis extending lengthwise of the violin, said axis being central of the violin side of the violin strings and the rod extending beyond one substantially at right angles to the strings. 1

5. A violin bow-guide comprising a support adapted to be secured to the violin-body and projecting over the bridge thereof, a. rod pivotally mounted to the support on an axis positioned in the longitudinal plane of the violin and extending transversely thereof, said rod being adapted'to be moved about its pivotal connection, and stop-lugs projecting from the support at right angles to the rod axis and under the rod to limit the range of movement of said rod.

, In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 15

SPENCER L. YATES. 

